1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cleaning implements, and more particularly, is concerned with a device for cleaning leaves and other debris from elevated roof gutters which can be used by a person standing on the roof of a house or building.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Frequently leaves, twigs and other debris will collect in the roof gutters of homes and buildings, and unless periodically removed, will accumulate to the point of obstructing the flow of rain water in the gutters and clogging the downspouts to which the gutters lead. In addition to rendering the gutters and downspouts ineffective for channeling water from the roof, the accumulation of debris within the gutters can create more serious problems for the homeowner or building owner, including that of substantial damage to the roof and gutters which will result from the weight of standing water remaining in the gutters.
Presently, in an attempt to avoid these problems, most homeowners and those responsible for the maintenance of buildings either climb a ladder up to the gutter, or climb onto the roof, to remove debris from the gutter by hand. The first method is unsatisfactory in that the person cleaning the gutter may only reach a portion of the gutter when at the top of the ladder, and as a result, must make a great many trips up and down the ladder, moving the ladder each time to a new location to clean the remaining portions of the gutter. Alternatively, those who choose to clean the gutters from the roof must position themselves at or near the edge of the roof in order to reach into the gutter to remove the debris by hand. As is most often the case, there is nothing for these persons to hold onto should they accidentally venture too far toward the edge or slip near the edge of the roof. Both methods of cleaning roof gutters by hand are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and can be potentially dangerous.
Because of these problems, prior attempts have been made to design instruments which would make the task cleaning elevated roof gutters less difficult and dangerous. Most of the prior instruments are intended to be operated by persons standing on the ground below the gutters. The prior devices are generally comprised of long poles attached to a cleaning tool of some type which is designed to be engaged in a gutter and push debris along inside the gutter. To remove debris from the gutter, the operator must turn and manipulate the handle of the pole to scoop or sweep the debris out with the cleaning tool. This is generally only done after the debris is pushed to the end of the gutter. Examples of this type of device are seen in Despain U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,542, Swannie U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,267, and Albertson U.S. Pat. No., 4,502,806.
One serious drawback with these devices is that they provide no adequate means for cleaning under and around the support spikes or braces which hold the gutter to the house or building. Although a few of these devices provide a cleaning tool designed to clean under these spikes, the operator standing on the ground below the gutter must perform the difficult and cumbersome operation of manipulating the tool in the gutter underneath each support spike, then must remove the tool portion from the gutter on one side of the spike and reinsert it in the gutter on the opposite side. The higher the gutter is from the ground, the longer and heavier the pole must be made to reach the gutter, the more difficult this procedure becomes. In addition, inherent in all devices intended for use by persons standing on the ground below the gutters is the problem that the tool portion will only move through a relatively small angle when the operator rotates the pole. This has the drawback that few of these devices can be manipulated to actually remove more than minor amounts of debris from the gutters. Other drawbacks include: the inability of the operator to see inside the gutter while cleaning; a need to pull down on the device to remove matted down leaves and debris, which is an inefficient means for applying the force needed to dislodge the debris, and which risks pulling down the entire gutter; generally no means to periodically dump debris out of the gutter; and, the likelihood that debris will be dumped upon the operator standing on the ground below.
Consequently, a need exists for an improved form of gutter cleaning device which is simple to manufacture and use, and which adequately overcomes the deficiencies of the prior attempts to satisfy this need.